The Future Is Electric: Here Are the Best-Prepared U.S. Cities for Electric Cars (Infographic)

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The Future Is Electric: Here Are the Best-Prepared U.S. Cities for Electric Cars (Infographic)

With more people than ever becoming aware of the effects of their consumer choices on climate change, many have made the switch to electric vehicles (EVs). While Norway has the largest EV use in the world, followed by Iceland and Sweden, the US is driving mass sales both at home and abroad (thanks, Tesla!), and as of 2018 had over one million registered EV vehicles on the road.

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7 Things You Can Do to Maximize Your Home's Energy Efficiency When You Use Solar Power

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7 Things You Can Do to Maximize Your Home's Energy Efficiency When You Use Solar Power

When you’re trying to help the environment, converting to solar power is a great first step that a growing number of homeowners have taken. However, you can go further by being more careful about how your home uses power. By conserving energy, you can stretch the power your solar panels produce. You may even be able to turn around and sell excess power back to your utility company. This is usually applied as a credit on your monthly bill. However, in order to be as energy efficient as possible, you need to be smart about how you use power in your home.

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From Black to Green: How Tires are Shifting to Eco-Friendly Materials

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From Black to Green: How Tires are Shifting to Eco-Friendly Materials

There are several components in a vehicle that contribute to the damage those machines inflict on our planet. However, one of the main parts that have a significant effect is tires. Their driving functions are connected to an automobile’s fuel usage and can also contribute to waste that can harm the environment if they’re not addressed.

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Sopa de Mora: A Simple, Flavorful Harvest Soup Recipe

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Sopa de Mora: A Simple, Flavorful Harvest Soup Recipe

Last summer I hired my neighbor’s gardener to create a pea gravel walkway in my back yard. The morning of the job, he showed up with his wife Doris* and another friend and got to work. It was one of the few occasions when I was willing to sit back and let someone else handle all the labor for a change. While the guys were working, Doris took a break to show me a frog she found in the yard, and like two giddy schoolgirls, we fawned over the poor thing (who had almost ended up flattened under one of the guys’ boots) and shared our insights into the nature of these creatures in her broken English and my broken Spanish. As the men continued to work and I came out again to respond to their questions and look at the progress of the walkway, Doris pointed out a weed that was growing in my yard and told me it was mora. She said that you could eat it and that in her country (El Salvador), they cooked it in a soup. Intrigued, I resolved to find out more.

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Could Hemp Oil Benefit Your Pets?

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Could Hemp Oil Benefit Your Pets?

guest post by Kalki Henrietta

Yes, hemp oil for pets is a thing.

There are already many wonderful benefits to using different kinds of oils for humans, but did you know that hemp oil can also be helpful for pets? Hemp oil is produced by cold pressing the seeds of the hemp plant. Since it is derived from an organic plant, hemp oil may contain hints of cannabinoids.

Before you freak out about that tiny detail, let’s clear up a common misconception: hemp oil is derived from the seed of the cannabis plant while its counterpart—cannabidiol (CBD) oil—is derived from different parts of the plant, such as the stalk and the leaves. While both are sometimes associated with producing mind-altering effects, in fact, they don’t do this at all. Instead, they only produce an entourage effect -- and not the bad kind!

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9 Ways to Make Your Business More Sustainable

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9 Ways to Make Your Business More Sustainable

Guest post by Matt Casadona

Your clients, customers, and your employees are calling for more sustainability within your business. While developing a sustainability plan will require both time and money, it’s well worth the effort to meet the ever-changing demands of your customer base and your employees. Many types of businesses can benefit from sustainable business practices, and they can sometimes even help save businesses money. Here are a few simple steps that can help make your business greener.

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Plant problems and quick fixes: how to diagnose and remedy common issues in your garden

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Plant problems and quick fixes: how to diagnose and remedy common issues in your garden

The past year has seen many people turn to food gardening – some for the first time – to cope with the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here at Green and Prosperous we have previously written about the mental and physical health benefits of gardening. While previously, food gardening seemed to be something you did as you approached middle age and your senior years, nowadays people of all ages are enjoying the benefits of growing some of their own food.

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10 Simple Healthy Living Tips for Seniors During COVID-19

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10 Simple Healthy Living Tips for Seniors During COVID-19

It has been over a year since the Covid-19 pandemic changed our lives. Businesses, organizations, governments, and industries have had to make adjustments to ensure their employees' and communities' health and safety and keep their operations in order. Individually, we’ve had to learn how to cope with the new normal as well.

In addition to the frontline workers, seniors have also had to exert extra effort to adapt to the changes brought about by Covid-19. They are, after all, one of the populations most vulnerable to experiencing severe health complications from this virus. If you are a senior or have a senior loved one, you know how important it is to follow health and safety protocols to mitigate the risks of getting the virus. Although a major part of the population in the US has already been vaccinated, Covid-19 is still very much around. As such, now more than ever, a healthy senior lifestyle is vital.

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7 Incredible Ways to Make Commercial Buildings More Sustainable

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7 Incredible Ways to Make Commercial Buildings More Sustainable

Due to their size and use, commercial buildings were traditionally not very green. However, times are changing, and so is the commercial building industry. Today these buildings, no matter their purpose, can become more environmentally friendly than ever. If you’re trying to reach eco-friendliness with your commercial building, it’s important to know all the steps you need to take. In this post you’ll read about just a few of the ways that commercial buildings can become more sustainable.

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5 ways businesses can boost profits with recyclable plastic cards

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5 ways businesses can boost profits with recyclable plastic cards

Guest post by Juliette Savage

Have you thought about how damaging the items in your purse or wallet can be to the environment?

The average person has 4 cards in their wallet, usually made from plastic and only used for one thing. To put that figure into perspective, this results in at least 271.4 million cards circulating just the United Kingdom at any given moment. These cards are often debit cards, credit cards and membership cards, and although they are vital to many people, they also cause a large amount of damage to our planet when they expire and are thrown away. Once discarded, these cards can take up to 450 years to decompose, due to the thickness and PVC that they are made from.

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Always wanted a lawn, but didn’t know where to start? Here are a few tips

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Always wanted a lawn, but didn’t know where to start? Here are a few tips

Many of us fantasize about having our own little fix of green toward the front or the rear of our homes. The trouble with turning this into a reality lies in the details — seeing how to lay the grass, and caring for your yard consistently. Yards require more maintenance than your typical plants, but having said that, a lavish yard isn't unattainable.

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Passive Houses: How They Work and What They Offer

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Passive Houses: How They Work and What They Offer

Our homes use a lot of energy. From electric appliances to heating and air conditioning systems, all of our essentials tend to make living spaces less green. While various eco-friendly home repairs can help with this problem, those looking to truly level up their energy-saving should learn about passive houses.

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Eco-Friendly Packaging & Green Shipping Ideas

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Eco-Friendly Packaging & Green Shipping Ideas

Since the pandemic first hit, many physical establishments have opted to do their transactions online since people are going out less often. Lockdown and quarantine is a new reality for many people nowadays. Because of this new confinement to our houses, we therefore rely on online businesses for our daily transactions.

How do you enjoy opening your parcels and packages? Do you also do unboxing challenges when an exciting order arrives?

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Veggie-stuffed zucchini boats

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Last summer and fall I struggled with my zucchini plants, and if you’ve been a regular reader of the blog, you may remember that my first *perfect* zucchini was followed by months of disappointment in which none of my zucchinis grew to maturity. This year started out much better, with my zucchini plants growing happily in their raised bed home and producing an abundance of vegetables. Finally, I seem to be getting that bumper crop that I have heard so many other food growers talk about! This means that in addition to the piles of fried zucchini squash blossoms I ate last year, this year I’m able to enjoy meals made with the actual zucchini from my garden.

Growing zucchini can be a challenge

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